George Santayana had irrational faith in reason - I have irrational faith in TV.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Game of Thrones 4.2: Whodunnit?

At last, a satisfying shocking killing in Game of Thrones 4.2 last night. After death coming down on Stark after Stark, and the villains suffering only a lost hand, we get to celebrate the poisoning of one of the most despicable characters in the series and indeed in all of television: the just-married King Joffrey. George R. R. Martin tweeted "You're welcome" after the show last night, and millions including me were thankful indeed that we won't have to see this sick vicious twit of a character again.

But two intriguing questions ensue - actually one question, in two parts: What will happen to Tyrion, denounced by Cersei as the killer, and who really killed Joffrey?

Tyrion clearly didn't do it. Jamie and Tywin will likely see this, once they get over their shock, and I doubt if they'll let anything really bad happen to Tyrion, whatever Cersei's true beliefs. (I've read only the first novel in the series, so I have no knowledge of what will happen. Given, of course, what has already happened, anything is possible.) Indeed, the early scene with Tyrion and Jamie suggests that the two may have the beginnings of some real rapport.

So who did the deed, if not Tyrion? There are motives everywhere you look, especially with the Starks. Sansa has more than ample reason to want Joffrey dead. Did she act on it? I don't think so.

Was the killer on hand at the wedding party, to witness his or her deed? Probably - it's much more fun that way.

Is the killer someone we don't know, an agent from the north, or maybe Daenerys? Possibly, but it would be more fun to already have seen the killer, in plain sight, maybe even a moment or two before the deadly cake event.

I'm putting my money on Oleena, who couldn't have been happy, deep down, about her beloved Margaery married to Joffrey, despite the power that would give the Tyrells. But it's also not clear who will wield the power now with Joffrey gone. Will Margaery, as Queen? Will Stanis have a new claim to the throne? If Joffrey's death gives Margaery more power, then that gives Oleena a pretty powerful motive.

Whatever comes down the road, we should be for some wild times in Game of Thrones, and we haven't even gotten to the dragons and the ghost hoard.

About Me

Paul Levinson, PhD, is Professor of Communication &
Media Studies at Fordham University in New York City.His 8 nonfiction books, including The Soft Edge (1997),
Digital McLuhan (1999), Realspace (2003), Cellphone (2004), and New New Media (2009, 2nd edition 2012), have been the
subject of major articles in the New York Times, Wired, the Christian Science
Monitor, and have been translated into 12 languages. His science fiction novels include The Silk Code (1999, ebook 2012), Borrowed Tides (2001), TheConsciousness Plague (2002, 2013), The Pixel Eye (2003), The Plot To SaveSocrates (2006, ebook 2012), and Unburning Alexandria (2013).His short stories
have been nominated for Nebula, Hugo, Edgar, and Sturgeon Awards.Paul Levinson appears on "The
O'Reilly Factor" (Fox News), "The CBS Evening News,"“NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” (PBS),“Nightline” (ABC), NPR, and numerous
national and international TV and radio programs. His 1972 album, Twice Upon a Rhyme, was re-issued in 2009 (CD) and 2010 (remastered vinyl). He reviews the best of
television in his InfiniteRegress.tv blog, and was listed in The Chronicle of
Higher Education’s “Top 10 Academic Twitterers” in 2009.

e-mail received from a reader:Dear Paul, I just dreamed of airships flying between raindrops. I just returned from 2042 CE, where I sold my hardcover copy of The Plot to Save Socrates for seventy million Neo-Euros, because it had your response to this e-mail from way back in 2007 scotch-taped onto the inside of the cover. A Paul Levinson collector paid top Neo-Euro, because of the authentic archaic e-mail printout from you. It turns out that not many of your e-mails from before your tenure as CEO of HBO/Cinemax and terms as United Nations Secretary General will survive that far into the future. So, please respond to this e-mail, to help found my great-grandchildren's fortune. My Will will stipulate that they must share with your great grandchidren. Thanks! Tom